Silverdale weaner sale one of the biggest on record

Hayes & Co yarded 1888 weaners on June 25, attracting vendors from the Brisbane Valley, Fassifern Valley and the Lockyer Valley, as well as one vendor coming all the way from Nebo in North Queensland.

Local buyers and the usual travelled buyers made an impact, as did a large turn out of new buyers from the south, as well as from Charleville, Taroom, Wandoan, Rockhampton and Miriam Vale.

Prices were described as very strong given current market conditions, with steers making $1600 - $1800 and topping at $2000 and heifers of breeder quality making $1400 - $1600, with the lead heifers selling to a top of $2060.

First time vendors of the Silverdale weaner sale, Mt Flora Cattle Co from Nebo, sold lines of Droughtmaster weaner steers topping at $2000 to average $1868 and a line of heifers topping at $2060.

Brian Conroy of Mountview Pastoral at Esk sold his usual top quality Charolais weaner steers, topping at $1910 to average $1850 and Charolais heifers which topped at $1760 to average $1675.

Hayes & Co livestock sales agent and auctioneer Landon Hayes said given how the current market was, it was a good sale.

"Obviously with the amount of cattle around at the moment, a lot of people probably aren't chasing them like they were, but the buyers that we had supported us and looked after us," Mr Hayes said.

"With the wet, some of the bloom has probably gone out of some of these calves a little bit, but they were still in fantastic condition.

"It's a credit to the vendors and the breeding they've been doing and looking after them."

This year's third and final Silverdale weaner sale was one of their biggest, jumping from an initial 1700 yarding.

"We ended up with 1888, which would probably be the second biggest sale we've ever had at Silverdale," Mr Hayes said.

Hayes & Co started the weaner sale in 2016 - initially offering one per year.

Due to increasing numbers, they split it into two sales in 2020, before deciding on three for the first time this year.

"Our weaner sale is starting to get a name for itself and that's a credit to all the vendors for sticking by us and giving us support and holding their weaners for this sale."

Mr Hayes said many steer buyers were backgrounding to sell to the feeder markets, with two buyers backgrounding for their own feedlot operation, while others were buying steers to grow out to feeder steers or into bullocks.

It was much the same for heifers, however people were also chasing replacement heifers.

Mr Hayes said their first time Nebo vendors Mt Flora Cattle Co were a great addition to the sale.

"We tried to get him to bring some down last year but the timing didn't work out. And this year, he's been very good. As he's been doing his round of mustering, he's been taking some of the pick out of his steers and holding them for us.

"He brought three decks down this year for us and was very, very happy with the result."

C Young sold Charbray weaner steers topping at $1960 and heifers at $1510. The O'Dwyer family sold Limousin weaner steers for $1910. The Marschkes sold Limousin weaner steers for $1920 and heifers for $1540. Cooper Pastoral sold Charbray weaner steers to top at $2000 to average $1738 and heifers for $1360.

DG & KM Lutter sold Brangus weaner steers for $1890. D&G Kirchner sold Brangus weaner steers for $1950. Schreiweis Family Trust sold Charbray weaner steers for $1820. Brad Holden sold Charbray weaner steers for $1800. KA&NM Green sold Limousin weaner steers for $1840 and $1640.

John and Leanne Brennan, Beaudesert, sold Brangus weaner steers topping at $1840 to average $1750 and also took out the champion pen prize.

The Whitehall family sold Santa weaner steers for $1700. Rodney Kanofski sold Charbray weaner steers for $1770. The Strawberry Fields sold Charbray weaner steers for $1700 and heifers for $1140. A&S Dennehy sold Droughtmaster steers for $1690. Surawski Farming sold their late Charbray weaner steers for $1580 and heifers for $1180.

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